Noel Gallagher On Playing Slane Castle And Irish Crowds

Oasis have officially confirmed that they are to play Slane Castle on Saturday, June 20th.

Guitarist and principal songwriter Noel Gallagher and fellow guitarist Gem Archer flew in by helicopter to Slane this afternoon as part of the launch for the gig which will be one of the biggest of the band's career with a potential audience of around 80,000.

The band are currently on tour promoting their new studio album Dig Out Your Soul.

Gallagher looked none the worse for the recent incident on stage in Toronto when he was pushed off the stage by a demented fan cracking several ribs in the process.

Oasis played Slane before in 1995, but only as support to REM and at a time before the launch of their second album What's the Story, Morning Glory which turned them, for a time, into superstars.

Gallagher was vague on the details of their last performance. “I thought we played here on our own,” he said.

However, Gallagher, whose mother and father are both Irish, said the previous concert had been attended by 80 relatives. “They've all grown up and had kids of their own so we are expecting 97 relatives this time around.

“Ireland is a massive part of my youth. It was six weeks of my summer holidays until I was 15. Every time I come here, it brings it back to me.”

Gallagher said he would not be joining the 90 per cent of bands who tell audiences that the place they are playing in is their favourite, but he said there was “something about Celtic crowds. I just think they get more drunk”.

Oasis, who have had several changes of band personnel since their last appearance at Slane, will be playing the venue to promote Dig Your Soul Out.

The band said their set for the Slane concert will compromise half the album and many of the anthems which has made their name. “Put it to you this way, we will be playing Wonderwall,” he said.

Tickets for the gig go on sale on October 24th and will be limited to eight per person. Prices have not yet been announced, nor have the support acts though an Irish act will be among them.

Source: www.irishtimes.com